It’s a new year and I’m so excited to see what it will bring!But y’know what? I’m okay with where I’m at in life, too.Yes, there are things I would like to change about myself. There’s always room to improve. But I’m content with where I am in life.

That’s a word you don’t hear very often, is it?

Webster’s 1828 defines “content” as follows: Rest or quietness of the mind in the present condition; satisfaction which holds the mind in peace, restraining complaint, opposition, or further desire, and often implying a moderate degree of happiness.Maybe contentment was easier in 1828 when we didn’t have ads thrown at us constantly, and we didn’t have to see pictures of a newly-engaged friend every time we open Instagram.Maybe it was.But I don’t think that’s an excuse, either. Especially when, once you’ve worked at contentment and have found it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t choose that mindset years ago.

This word is easy enough to apply to material possessions; it’s about not feeling like you need the newest, best thing, but being happy with the things that you do have.

But I think it goes deeper than this, especially if we’re talking about being content with life.I think it means not worrying about the future. You can think about it, sure, and even set some goals, but let’s not taint our futures by worrying about things that might not even happen. No worrying about what we’ll do if there’s no significant other in our immediate future, or where you might live in five years.

Because I think another part of being content is not wishing you could just jump ahead to the next big step in life, but experiencing life as it is in the moment. These are days you won’t be able to get back, and there are so many good things and so many lessons crammed into them; you don’t want to miss out!

Contentment is a mindset—a habit—that I think is very near that of gratitude.

Being grateful for all of the things you have in life, no matter how small, will change the way you see everything.You won’t feel like you need the next big thing when you’re grateful for the older version that still works just fine. If you take the time to be grateful for the people in your life, your heart will be too full to feel like you’re missing out on that significant other you still haven’t found.

There are other habits you might need to break in order to learn this one. It might mean taking a break from social media. The comparison game is way too easy to play, but that’s a game you’ll lose every time, especially if you’re comparing yourself to the “best” version of themselves that people share online.But you don’t need me to tell you that breaking a few bad habits to form a good one is the way to go!

I grew up being taught contentment, and I’m so grateful that I did. I am content with where I am in my life, even with all of the questions some well-meaning relatives like to ask. I’m not worried about my future!My life isn’t perfect, but my life is good, and I try my very best to not take any of it for granted because I don’t deserve any of it.

I do still have some goals for 2019, though, and I want to share them with you!I’ve done what I can to make sure these are SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound), and I have them broken down further for my own reference. I’ll share my goals for the first quarter in my first newsletter, but until then, here are some of my goals for the new year.

2019 GOALS

Doing more of what I love; like reading and crafting.

Continuing to write.

Doing more for my health—mental, emotional, and physical.

Connecting more with the people I meet.

Do you have any goals for 2019? Maybe being more content is one of them?I’d love to hear about what your vision for 2019 is down in the comments!